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Preview the New TrainingPeaks Ultimate IRONMAN Training Guide

As long-standing partners, IRONMAN and TrainingPeaks are thrilled to present the Ultimate IRONMAN Training Guide, as a foundation for athletes to kick off their IRONMAN training journey. We invite you to read Chapter One here.

Packed with knowledge from IRONMAN University Certified coaches, this guide offers the very best information to help you evaluate your goals, find the right coach, and refine your training plan. Enjoy Chapter One, below, and you will quickly realize that Anything is Possible. See you at the next starting line!

Before you even start training, there are a number of decisions about race and equipment selections, as well as mental prep and training strategies to take into consideration.

Chapter One: 6+ Months Out from Race Day—Setting Your Goals and Committing to Them

Race Selection

With dozens of IRONMAN races around the globe, chances are you can find an event relatively close to you (or better yet, one far away in a location you’ve always wanted to visit). When selecting an IRONMAN race, take into consideration the course elevation, popularity, and timing of the event to make sure it best suits your needs.

Flat courses like IRONMAN Arizona, IRONMAN Florida, and IRONMAN Western Australia are popular choices for first-time athletes and those looking to qualify for the IRONMAN World Championship (and as such often sell out very quickly!), but at the end of the day, 140.6 miles is 140.6 miles, so pick a race that sounds fun and interesting to you.

Take into consideration the climate of the race (especially if you will be training in a different one) and if it suits your strengths. For example, if you’re new to swimming, picking a race that will likely be a non-wetsuit swim might not be the best choice. Also consider the travel costs associated with doing an IRONMAN. Registration fees can cost between US$700 and US$850 (depending on how early you register), and airfare, transportation, food, and lodging can easily tack on a few thousand dollars more when all is said and done.

Balancing Training with Day-to-Day Life

The mental preparation needed before you start IRONMAN training is an often overlooked (but incredibly important) aspect of your journey, not only for you but for your family and friends as well. Take into consideration your work obligations, family commitments, and regular social activities, and have honest conversations with your partner, spouse, and children about how your free time will be minimized during the next several months.

Good time management skills are an asset for any IRONMAN athlete. If you’ve never been a list maker, now is the time to start logging your daily activities and obligations so you can ensure both your IRONMAN training and day-to-day life continue to run in tandem with one another. IRONMAN Coach Meredith Atwood recommends making a mental list known as the "SRS" (Sucky Rotation Schedule), where you rotate a few items of your life down below the "suck line" for a few weeks (i.e. mowing the lawn and doing laundry) so you can focus on other areas you’ve deemed more important (helping your kids with their homework, 5:45 a.m. Masters swim three times a week, etc.).

There are many different ways to prepare yourself mentally for the rigors of an IRONMAN, but what matters most is that you realize and accept that the next several months of your life will be very busy and challenging, but ultimately highly rewarding.

Choosing a Strategy

Now that you’ve chosen a race and prepped your schedule accordingly, it’s time to strategize your plan of attack for the next six-plus months.

There are really three ways to go about training for an IRONMAN: hire a coach, purchase a training plan or go it alone.

Hiring a Coach: Coaches can help you best plan your season, determine your fitness benchmarks so you can set realistic but challenging goals, analyze and track your progress, and adjust your training as needed. Coaches provide either virtual or in-person one-on-one assistance, and they can work with you on specific IRONMAN nutrition, skills and race strategies, strength training, and even mental preparation.

Following a Training Plan: There are dozens of training plans in the IRONMAN TrainingPeaks Training Plan Store that suit all levels from the time-crunched beginner to the advanced triathlete looking to qualify for the IRONMAN World Championship. For a small cost you can have all of your workouts uploaded directly into your TrainingPeaks account, allowing you to plan, track, analyze, and adjust your training and your weekly schedule as needed.

The benefits to following a training plan are that you will receive your daily workouts which are periodized to prevent overtraining, and additionally structured training plans make it possible for your intensity levels to be custom-tailored to your individual metrics.

However, you will miss out on the additional skills, one-on-one communication, and support that a coach can offer you, and a training plan is harder to adjust on the fly due to work, injury, and general life disruptions.

Going it Alone: Plenty of athletes have trained for an IRONMAN by simply reading a book, purchasing a free training plan online, or following the advice of a fellow triathlete. However, the risks you run and the benefits you miss out on are many, not least of which being overtraining, injury, and a loss of motivation due to burnout and a lack of support.

Training for an IRONMAN is a large endeavor, and as such your strategy for training for and completing one should not be taken lightly. Make a clear decision about which training strategy you’d like to follow before you begin training in order to avoid any training missteps.

Equipment Selection

The equipment needs for an IRONMAN can be as simple or complex as you make them. If this is your first IRONMAN, the list below gives you a good idea of the basics you’ll need during training and on race day.

IRONMAN Equipment List

Swim Gear

Wetsuit: A good-fitting, high-quality wetsuit is key, not only for durability, but also for the fantastic buoyancy benefits a wetsuit can offer a beginner open water swimmer.

Swim Cap

Goggles: Make sure your goggles fit well and have a wide lens for open water swimming visibility.

Trisuit: Invest in a tri-suit so you can wear the same outfit from start to finish without fumbling in the change tent. A two-piece or one piece is up to you (although many IRONMAN athletes opt for a two-piece to make bathroom stops easier throughout race day), just make sure it fits well and doesn’t chafe during exercise.

Bike Gear

Bike: At a minimum, you’ll need a road bike with clipless pedals and ideally clip-on aerobars. If you’re not sure if triathlon is more than just a passing hobby, consider purchasing a used one, however make sure to get it inspected for safety before you commence training. If you’ve been competing in triathlons for a while, consider splurging for a TT bike as well as a professional bike fit so you can make sure you’re riding as efficiently and as comfortably as possible.

Clipless Pedals: Clipless pedals will help keep your pedal stroke efficient, minimizing the amount of leg fatigue you’ll feel once you head out on the run. Don’t be intimidated if you’ve never “clipped-in” before, just find an empty parking lot and practice, practice, practice. Before you know it, you’ll never remember what riding without clips was like.

Bike Shoes: Cycling shoes are sturdy and help generate power with every pedal stroke. Make sure you purchase compatible cleats with the type of pedal you are using.

Helmet: Whether you go for a standard road bike helmet or splurge for an aerohelmet, wearing one is mandatory (and just common sense!).

Hydration System: You’ll need to carry a lot of water with you on your bike. There are a variety of hydration systems to choose from: ones that mount on the front in between your aero bars, cages that attach behind your saddle—some people even wear Camelbaks. Whatever system you purchase, start using it as soon as possible in training so you can readily access your fluids safely.

Sunglasses: Choose a pair with polarized lenses and 100 percent UVA/UVB protection. Sports sunglasses work best as they won’t slip or fall off your face during activity.

Run Gear

Running shoes: Spend time picking out running shoes that fit well, which will not only make those miles more comfortable, but will also prevent injury. Replace them roughly every 200 miles, and make sure the pair you wear on race day are completely broken in.

Hat/Visor: Even if your race is in a colder climate, you’ll still be out in the elements for several hours and will want to cover your head for sun protection.

Hydration belt/vest: Even if you plan on utilizing the aid stations, it’s always a good idea to keep some fluids and extra fuel on you.

Technical Gear

GPS Watch/Heart Rate Monitor: Invest in a watch with both GPS and heart rate functions. Most devices with bluetooth sync directly to your TrainingPeaks account for seamless activity uploading.

Indoor Trainer: Depending on where you live, training indoors might be a fact of life for at least part of your race training. Training rides allow you to pack in highly-efficient workouts in minimal time, so consider purchasing one for convenience, if nothing else.

Bike Computer: From turn-by-turn navigation to heart rate and power displays, bike computers do much more than just tell you how far you’ve ridden. When you’re out on a four-plus hour ride, you’ll be happy you have one to keep your efforts in check.

Power Meter: While optional, consider training with a power meter so you can track your training, analyze your progress with your coach, make adjustments, and maximize your time in the saddle.

Once you’ve picked out your ideal race, planned a training strategy, purchased the necessary equipment, and mentally prepared yourself and your family for the long road ahead, you’re ready for training to begin.